PAU R&I 2026, PSI

4 May 2026, 18:00 → 7 May 2026, 17:30 Europe/Zurich

Parkhotel Bad Zurzach, Switzerland

Johan Wickström (PSI - Paul Scherrer Institut)

Overview

The 5th Workshop on Particle Accelerator Upgrade - Removal and Installation (PAU R&I) will be hosted by Paul Scherrer Institute and held at the Parkhotel Bad Zurzach in Switzerland.

The series of workshops highlights the strong interest in the technical topics associated with constructing and upgrading particle accelerators. The task incorporates large-scale infrastructures, shielding elements and handling of precision components, such as magnets and delicate vacuum chambers, making the task both complex and highly demanding. It calls for a unique blend of expertise of civil, mechanical, and electrical engineering, as well as expertise in cooling, ventilation, logistics — all this with the understanding of the functionality of particle accelerators to make the dreams of the scientist come alive.

Based on previous workshops, we expect over 50 experts representing accelerator laboratories worldwide. Participants will share experiences of completed and ongoing installations, achievements, and challenges. Laboratories preparing for upcoming accelerator installations and upgrades will present their planning and preparation activities, seeking valuable feedback and collaboration from the international community.

Industrial Participation

We warmly invite industrial partners to join the workshop and engage with the community. The workshop offers opportunities to display your innovations through exhibition tables and to gain visibility by sponsoring events and workshop materials.

PSI and SLS Visit

The workshop includes a visit to the Swiss Light Source (SLS) at PSI. The visit will give you a unique opportunity to familiarize yourself with the SLS, one of the recently upgraded 4th generation light sources.

Workshop Dinner

The workshop dinner takes us back to medieval times, where kings and queens ruled, knights protected the land, and walls of stone were built tall on hilltops — taking place at the historical Habsburg Castle.

Monday 4 May

Apero

Welcome + Registration

Tuesday 5 May

Registration

Session 1

Convener: Frédéric Le Pimpec

1 Workshop Welcome

Speaker: Johan Wickström (PSI - Paul Scherrer Institut)

2 PSI Introduction

Speaker: Kilian Rolli (PSI - Paul Scherrer Institut)

3 Elettra 2.0 - What are we learning on Removal and Installation?

Elettra 2.0 Project is entered the "Installation Phase" for the Storage Ring. The "Removal Phase" ended in November 2025 following the start of the "Dark Period" on July 2025.
The talk is focused on the many expected and - in some cases - unexpected issues related to the logistics, handling, and planning activities for the removal and the installation of the Storage Ring and the beamline hutches.

Speaker: Roberto Visintini (Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste)

4 Engineering developments for the dismantling of the LHC cryogenic distribution line

The High-Luminosity Large Hadron Collider (HL-LHC) project involves a major upgrade of the cryogenic infrastructure supplying helium to the final focusing regions of the ATLAS and CMS experiments. The integration of new superconducting components requires the complete removal of the existing cryogenic systems installed in the long straight sections at Points 1 and 5, covering a total length of approximately 640 m. This operation includes dismantling the LHC cryogenic distribution line (QRL), which entails cutting 70 fully welded interconnections within the confined geometry of the LHC tunnel and in a radiologically activated environment.

This presentation describes the principal technical and organizational challenges of the intervention, which will take place during Long Shutdown 3 (LS3) of the accelerator complex at CERN. It covers the development and qualification of specialized tooling to ensure safe dismantling under radiation exposure and strict spatial constraints, as well as the planning and coordination activities required to execute the project efficiently and safely.

Speaker: Simon Barrière (CERN)

5 Ring Injection Dump Proton Beam Window Helium Leak Mitigation

Waste beam from the Spallation Neutron Source’s (SNS) injection process is steered to the Ring Injection Dump (RID). The history of the design and installation of the RID is convoluted and included late design changes requiring post-installation machining. In 2023, the RID proton beam window and beamstop were replaced, in part to support the installation of the RID Imaging System, which required a luminescent coating on the RID proton beam window. The replacement activities experienced numerous complications due to damage from corrosion but ultimately concluded with a successful vacuum leak check. Since resuming operations in summer 2023, a leak has developed at the RID window, which is being mitigated until the window can be replaced again and the sealing surface damage addressed (currently anticipated to occur in Summer 2027). This presentation will discuss the complexity of the RID, the impacts of the helium leak, the various mitigation approaches implemented, and remaining mitigation possibilities.

Speaker: Melissa Harvey (Oak Ridge National Laboratory - Spallation Neutron Source)

10:15 Coffee Break

Session 2

Convener: Frederic Le Pimpec

6 Industry Talk: RSI, Oak Ridge

7 Industry Talk: REITZ Natursteintechnik KG

8 Electron Ion Collider ASR Installation Planning

This presentation outlines the System Installation and Final Integration (SIFI) scope supporting the Accelerator Storage Rings (ASR) Subproject. The focus is on the installation and integration of Electron and Hadron Storage Ring systems within the existing 3.8 km beam line tunnel and the new and existing service buildings at Brookhaven National Laboratory.

The talk details installation responsibilities across major technical systems, including normal and superconducting magnet assemblies, snake magnets, vacuum systems, RF and SRF systems, cryogenic distribution (2K and 4K), instrumentation, power supplies, and associated electronics.

Key dependencies, such as RHIC Removal & Repurposing activities, new and existing service building readiness, utility availability, and CD-3A cryogenic deliverables, are discussed. The presentation also highlights bottom-up Basis of Estimate (BOE) development, installation sequencing, safety and work control processes, and configuration management practices.

Speaker: Christopher Pontieri (Brookhaven National Laboratory)

9 Logistics Challenges at a Synchrotron Upgrade Project

Mick will explain the 3 key challenges encountered whilst implementing a logistics strategy to support the upgrade project, namely control of space, inventory data and organisational behaviour.
The solutions devised to overcome these challenges will be described and evaluated.

Speaker: Mick Conmy (Diamond Light Source)

10 Discussion 1

12:30 Buffet Lunch

Session 3

Convener: Maximilian Wurm

11 Institute Talk (tbd)

12 Institute Talk (tbd)

13 Institute Talk (tbd)

14 Poster Flash Talks

Coffee Break

Poster session

Convener: Johan Wickström

19:00 Walk + Dinner

Wednesday 6 May

Session 4

Convener: Daniela Leitner

15 Intro for day 2

Speaker: Johan Wickström (PSI - Paul Scherrer Institut)

16 Installation Strategy of the Siam Photon Source II Synchrotron Light Source

Installation Strategy of the Siam Photon Source II Synchrotron Light Source
Siam Photon Source II (SPS-II) is a 4th generation synchrotron light source currently under development in Thailand. Featuring a 3.0 GeV electron beam energy and a 327.6 m circumference, the facility utilizes a Double-Triple Bend Achromat (DTBA) lattice to achieve sub-nanometer natural emittance. The DTBA configuration was specifically selected for its superior "productivity"—optimizing the ratio of straight-section length to total circumference. This 14-cell storage ring provides 14 long and 14 short straight sections, to accommodate insertion devices and essential machine subsystems. The combination of a 270 MeV linear accelerator and a 3.0 GeV concentric booster synchrotron works as the beam injector. Seven Phase-1 photon beamlines will provide users with high-intensity photon beams with energy ranging from 80 eV to 60 keV. The on-girder alignment of the SPS-II storage ring magnets is based on precision mechanical reference surface methodology pioneered by Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) for the Swiss Light Source (SLS). This presentation details the comprehensive installation roadmap for the SPS-II accelerator, covering mechanical integration, alignment tolerances, and the phased commissioning strategy.

Speaker: Porntip Sudmuang (Synchrotron Light Research Institute (SLRI))

17 Status update on the technical planning of the IMPACT project at PSI

The goal of IMPACT project (Isotope and Muon Production using Advanced Cyclotron
and Target technologies) is the construction of two new target stations and beamlines
at the high-intensity proton accelerator HIPA. The project consists of two subprojects HIMB
and TATTOOS. This presentation will focus exclusively on the HIMB subproject.

The pre-phase of the HIMB project has already started with various preparation works and the main upgrade works will take place in 2028–2030. The aim of HIMB is to upgrade the existing muon target at HIPA, which will lead to an increase of the available muon rate by up to a factor 100.

From the technical point of view, reaching this objective requires significant dismantling and installation work. This demands careful and detailed planning in advance. In my talk, I will present the planning approach and give an overview of the dismantling and assembly activities, highlighting some specific technical topics and challenges.

Speaker: Mike Aeschbacher (PSI - Paul Scherrer Institut)

18 Institute Talk (tbd)

09:50 Coffee Break

Session 5

Convener: Daniela Leitner

19 Industry Talk: Transmutex SA

20 Industry Talk: SwissFactory Engineering AG

21 Institute Talk (tbd)

22 Institute Talk (tbd)

23 Discussion 2

12:00 Buffet Lunch

Bus Transfer: to PSI

PSI Session & SLS Visit

24 PSI Large Research Machines

Speaker: Romain Ganter (PSI - Paul Scherrer Institut)

25 SLS 2.0 Upgrade Status - Phase II

Speaker: Maximilian Maria Wurm (PSI - Paul Scherrer Institut)

14:40 Walk to SLS

15:00 Coffee + Drinks in SLS

PSI Session & SLS Visit

Convener: Johan Wickström

Bus Transfer: to Workshop Dinner at Habsburg

18:15 Workshop Dinner

Bus Transfer: back to Hotel

Thursday 7 May

Session 6

26 Intro for day 3

Speaker: Johan Wickström (PSI - Paul Scherrer Institut)

27 Institute Talk (tbd)

28 Institute Talk (tbd)

29 Institute Talk (tbd)

30 Institute Talk (tbd)

10:15 Coffee Break

Session 7

31 Institute Talk (tdb)

32 Institute Talk (tbd)

33 Discussion 3

34 Summary Talk

12:30 Buffet Lunch